Rick Stewart is bike riding around Iowa to get his name known as an independent choice for the U.S. Senate.
He plans to keep his campaign on the fast track.
“I’m playing this game to win,” Stewart said during a Wednesday stop in Council Bluffs. “This makes 55 counties today.”
Stewart believes Democrat Bruce Braley and especially Republican Joni Ernst need to keep looking in their rearview mirror on his race.
“She needs my votes,” Stewart said, adding he won’t accept campaign contributions.
If elected, expect changes in Washington, he said.
“It will not be business as usual. I will not meet with registered lobbyists.”
He’ll even write $10,000 checks of his own money to Iowa charities if any of his promises are broken, Stewart said.
“That causes me to think before I make a promise.”
Regarding illegal immigration, Stewart said the problem could be solved by selling permits for immigrants to live and work in the United States for $50,000.
In his opinion, the war on drugs has not been successful and supports legalizing marijuana. He’s against farm subsidizes because farmers don’t need assistance.
A main issues concerns what he called unfunded liabilities now totaling $204 trillion and getting bigger all the time. These include Medicare, Medicaid and Social Security. Most people, however, may not be aware of the growing cost, Stewart said.
“The government needs to put these on the books so that we can see it.”
Unfortunately, cuts in these programs will occur hurting the poorest the most, he added.
“We need to quit lying to ourselves.”